The Uncomfortable Zones Of Fun

experiments in experience/participation performance

Recorded at Temescal Arts Center, Oakland, California

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Well, finally I am getting to writing about this performance! For the last week I had to focus on doing an in-depth interview for an online art magazine. 

During the eighties I did a performance series at the University of California Berkeley for over three years. Sometimes we had a roomful of people. Sometimes as few as one! And sometimes I just had a cast who thought one another were the REAL audience (besides the janitors who kept sweeping outside of the room so they could peek in). My favorite performances were when few people came, but when they came willing to play. 

Last week’s performance was like that. It has been years since so few came. And right away the older couple who found themselves in the wrong reality (when a guy started undressing Linda, Erika and I) left… Well, actually the CIA agent left before they did after I blew his cover! Who were left were Marc the depressed artist and Eric the musician who came to audition to play at the performances. Both came to play! When I asked Marc to create a sculpture using Linda, Erika and I, he didn’t stare dumbly at me like most people do when I ask them to do similar things. He just went to work and stretched the form into a parade to the great music of Eric. And he was willing to play drums with Eric even though he didn’t think he could play drums! Mmmmmm, did Marc blow his cover as a depressed artist?

A very satisfying performance indeed!

More photos, etc.: http://www.eroplay.com/Cave/uzof/uzof-mar2011/index.html